Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/460

346 NECESSARIES WANTED. Boat for BoseHiU. 1788 for the hospital will be sent out by the first ships. The cloathes 28 s«pt. for the convicts are in general bad, and there is no possibility of mending them for want of thread ; it is the same with the shoen. No thread, which do not last a month ; these necessary articles, to the amount of a iew pounds, I have likewise ordered to be purchased. A strong launch to remove provisions will soon be necessary, as some convicts are going to cultivate land near the head of the har- bour, and to bring timber, for what we now use is brought already from a considerable distance,* and our roads after heavy rains are bad. The tools and articles in the enclosed list will be much wanted by the time they can be sent out^ and I cannot help i*epeating that most of the tools were as bad as ever were sent out for barter on the coast of Guinea. The women have two-thirds of what is allowed the men, and the children one-third. The children's allowance is, I think, too little, and I have been obliged in several instances to order children half the man's allowance, or two-thirds, as the women are allowed. The wooden ware sent out were too small ; they are called bowls and platters, but are not larger than pint basins ; thei'e was not one that would hold a quart As the candles sent out will not last more than two years, I wish to know if it is the intention of Government to furnish the settle- ment with that article for any longer term. The requisites for mending the men and women's cloathes and shoes, as well as some kind of bedding for them, are very neces- sary ; and some kind of covering will be wanted for the children. This is not an expense that will be necessary to continue after a number of settlers are in the colony, for then the convicts will have some resources ; at present they have none. Amongst our many wants a few proper people to superintend the convicts has been mentioned, and we are at present at a great loss for the necessary people to attend the stores and see the pro- visions issued. The convicts who are proper for this are those who have had some little education, and they are the greatest villains we have. In fact, here is no choice of persons of any class, and I am obliged to continue such as we have in places for which they prove themselves very unfit subjects. Bad tools. Children's allowance. Bowls and platterd. Candles. Children want clothes. Educated villains. Digitized by Google